Legislation recently introduced in Congress would require employers with 15 or more workers to provide at least seven days of paid sick leave per employee per year. The so-called “Healthy Families Act” would guarantee workers at least one paid hour off for every 30 hours worked. Employees could use the paid time off to deal with their own illness, or that of a child, spouse, parent or loved one.

Two jurisdictions—San Francisco and the District of Columbia—already mandate paid sick leave.
Same-sex benefits. In other benefits news, President Obama signed an order on June 17 that extends certain employee benefits to unmarried domestic partners of federal workers, including same-sex partners. The order stopped short of extending full health insurance coverage for domestic partners.